Many types of cleaning devices are available for commercial and consumer cleaning needs. For example, conventional vacuums are often used for general floor cleaning, central vacuum systems have been developed for a convenient means of general floor cleaning, various types of extraction cleaners have been developed to provide deeper or more problem-specific carpet and upholstery cleaning, and cleaning wands having dry or moistened disposable wipes are used for quickly cleaning hard surfaces.
A common problem among these and other cleaning appliances is that they often pick up or develop odors from the substances that they clean off the floor. Such odors can make it undesirable to operate or clean the appliance, or give the perception that the cleaning appliance is not cleaning effectively, and result in customer dissatisfaction with the device. These odors may also present a perceived health risk.
Various attempts have been made to address the accumulation of odors in cleaning appliances. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,751, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a vacuum cleaner having a cedar insert in the vacuum bag that acts as an air freshener and pesticide. In another device, shown in International Patent Publication WO 01/08543 A1, an adsorbent material such as activated carbon is introduced into a vacuum dust filter bag. While the foregoing developments have been useful for controlling or masking odors, they have not conclusively solved the problem of lingering odors in cleaning appliances and preventing odors on surfaces being cleaned.
In view of these and other problems, there remains a need to provide improved methods and apparatuses for controlling odors in cleaning appliances.